This is an Ergonomic fidget pen designed to fit your hand comfortably while you write and the form is smooth and satisfying to play with. It’s perfect for focus and relieving stress without disturbing those around you. Made with Namibian camel thorn wood which is infused with essential oils such as lavender or citrus aromas.

This was an individual project so I was responsible for all the idiating, prototyping and woodworking involved in the project. 

Starting point Before knowing what product I was going to make, I had made these shapes with a jewelry piece in mind, however I realized one of them was very satisfying to play with and you could hold it like a pen. Through this I had the idea to create a pen with the dual function of helping you focus while you work.

Experiments
The second set of prototypes were made with the fuction of a pen or pencil in mind. I combined elements I liked from all of the first prototypes to makde the next generation. I made sure they were ergonomic and comfortable to hold and interviewed some of my peers (left and right handed) about which version was most comfortable to hold and which elements they liked the feeling of. The conclusion was that the curved lines and shallow divits were most comfortable and satisfying to hold. 

Working prototype
In order to know if the final shape will work, I sculpted clay around a pen cartridge and tested it once again with my peers to hear their feedback on which prototype worked best and the prototype bellow was the one that performed the best in all the tests. 

Here are some of the pages that were a result of the user testing sessions I had, they include scribbles where they test the pen, but also sketches or ideas we had in the process. 

Carving process
I started carving using foam and balsa wood to practice and then tested different types of wood like oak, pine and then finally Namibian Camel Thorn wood which was the most beautiful and had the added effect of being more heavy which balanced the pen well in the user’s hand. I was researching other materials such as ceramic, plastics or metal but ultimately wanted to keep the wood since it’s less fragile and has a handcrafted, warm effect rather than metal or plastic.